Tuesday, March 16, 2010

RECESS IS OVER!

I was reading a blog about school and teachers.  It was pretty good, you might like it. You can find it here.  It got me to thinking about school. I am way too old by most everyone’s standards to be in school. I’ve blogged a lot about it and told everyone that I had been accepted to another academic program. If you haven’t seen that blog, you can find it here.

I’ve discovered in recent years that I am a nerd. I like school. I like books. I like learning. I have an incredible curiosity. I once said I was a bit like Johnny Five from the movie Short Circuit – need input, need input. 


You'll be sorry if you don't watch the video.

I don’t remember being driven for grades or learning when I was child. I was okay in school; didn’t win any honors though.  In High School, I was told I wouldn’t make good material for college. In college they suggested I go to beauty school because I was creative.  I have cut my husband’s hair for the last 25 years or more, so maybe they were right about that.

My worst teacher was a Miss O’Rourke at PS 105 in Brooklyn. She was mean. She was the personification of mean. Her goal was to make every child in her 6th grade class cry in front of the class at least once. She succeeded. She told us we were stupid. She told us we thought we were smart but we weren’t. She never touched us physically, but her “tongue lashings” were brutal. I think I still have some scars from my lashings.

The two best teachers I had were in Sunday School. Both were untrained teachers as far as academics. Both were young.  One was single. One married with children for whom I babysat.

Fran was from the south. I don’t know how she ever ended up in Brooklyn, but there she was, young, single, attractive. She had a bit of a southern accent as I recall. We didn’t have Sunday School in the summer and when spring would be in full bloom, the Sunday School class was usually empty. Most of the families had summer places in Long Island. We didn’t. All my life, Sunday after Sunday I would be alone in Sunday School class as my peers went to the Island for sun and fun. Most of the teachers would combine their class with someone else if there was only one person.

I don’t know why she did differently. It was both awkward and wonderful. Fran would sit next to me on the pew – we didn’t have separate rooms for Sunday School we simply spread out over the sanctuary. She taught only me, just me alone on that pew. What I remember most about Fran was her devotion to one child, me. She also made us memorize New Testament passages to tell people about salvation. To this day, most of the passages I have memorized in the NT are because of her.

The other one, the married one, was my Sunday School teacher when I was in the 6th grade. The same year I had Miss O’Rourke. Helen was evidently on some sort of deeper spiritual quest. She did odd things like go to Full Gospel Businessmen’s Breakfasts. She was neither a businessperson nor a man. She was just hungry for more of God. She really wasn’t full gospel either, she had been Lutheran.


Her zeal was contagious. She took a couple of 6th grade girls with her on the subway to a Full Gospel Businessmen’s breakfast. I think back now and I think – how strange? Something happened at the meeting. She led me into a fuller expression of the Holy Spirit for the first time. 

What’s the point?

A walk down memory lane with Joyce?

That’s nice for me, and maybe interesting for you but what’s the point?

The point is that we are all teachers. We all impact someone else. We all have the potential to teach someone else something that can change his or her life. I heard someone say a while back that we should all begin to look at our spheres – you know those circles we travel in, the people we know… for the purpose of teaching or mentoring.
 
What do you do well that you can teach someone else? 
What do you have to offer that can change a child’s life? or an adults? 
or an older person? we are never too old to learn!

Someone taught you -- Who can you teach about Jesus?

8 comments:

David said...

I have taught for a total of about 10 years. I taught photography and computers to adult ed students, guitar at a private High School, and computers to Pre-K thru 12 at a Christian School.

I like to teach things I am passionate about - art, music, gadgets, Jesus... the church let me teach a few things too. But what I like to do best is demonstrate God's word with power as an outworking of the Holy Spirit. A lot of Christians want head knowledge - not so much an encounter with a supernatural God.

Just reading through Acts, from healing to casting out demons, preaching and having a large number of folks get saved - wow!

Joyce Lighari said...

Good point David - and that was my point about Helen the second SS teacher. We need both.
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power,so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.
1 Corinthians 2:4-5

David said...

@Joyce - yes, we need both. But I have to say, I am much more of a demonstrator than a teacher. I can prech for like 7 minutes and do ministry line for hours.

Joyce Lighari said...

that sounds like a good ratio of preaching to ministry...

Debbie Petras said...

Joyce, I'm so glad I wandered onto your group blog. This post was very timely. It reminds me that whatever I do ...do as unto the Lord. It may seem like something small but God can use it to teach and encourage another, just like Fran and Helen.

In the world's eyes, Fran and Helen may not be viewed as exemplery. The high academics would hold more weight.

However, in God's eyes ...Fran and Helen are so valuable for His purposes.

Blessings,
Debbie

P.S. I had to laugh at your comment on Heart Choices about the words to "In the Garden". How right you are! Ve come to the garden ...

Joyce Lighari said...

Debbie,
You probably know Fran - she is Fran Larsen of Bethany Bible in New Hyde Park. Helen was married to a Titland... They had a huge impact on my life as did so many of those that used to sing Venn Ve all get to Heawen Vhat a day of reyoicing that vill be. :-)
J

Anonymous said...

I REMEMBER WELL ALL THOSE SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES IN SCATTERED PEWS IN SALEM...MILDRED RUTGERSON SEEMED TO BE MY TEACHER FOR YEARS..I ALSO REMEMBER "RELEASE TIME " CLASSES ON WEDNESDAYS, WHEN WE WOULD BE RELEASED FROM SCHOOL TO GO TO YOUTH PROGRAMS IN OUR CHURCHES..THERE, JOYCE, YOUR MOTHER WOULD TELL BIBLE STORIES AND USE A "FLANNEL GRAPH" TO ILLUSTRATE..SHE WAS A GOOD STORY TELLER..AND I WAS SORRY TO HEAR SHE JUST PASSED AWAY! FRAN LARSON WAS A WONDERFUL INSPIRATION, AND STILL IS. HELEN IS HOME WITH HER LORD, AFTER HAVING DIED SO SUDDENLY SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. I PRAISE GOD FOR SALEM, AND ALL THE SPECIAL PEOPLE THAT INFLUENCED MY LIFE ALONG THE WAY. I HAVE BEEN SO BLESSED BY GODLY PARENTS, AND RICH IN MEMORIES OF AN AMAZING CONGREGATION OF "NORWEGIAN BROOKLYNITES" WHO MADE AN ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE FOR JESUS!

CAROL IMPERATO said...

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